The Maritime history of the world was formed, survived and developed for over 70 thousand years. Particularly in Southeast Asian according to world historians.

In the Southeast Asian is recognized as the cradle of human civilization development for the peaceful coexistence of races in the region, including our Vietnamese people.

At the beginning of maritime developing tens of thousands of years ago, China had not even existed. China’s presence was only around 2500 BC. At this time, the words such as “marine,” “Ocean” are all unfamiliar to the Chinese, let alone the records.

Thousands of years ago, the Sea of Southeast Asia known as “Yüeh sea” – That means “Viet sea.”

Not until the 16th century, the Portuguese merchant came and did the mapping of the Southeast Asia. They callously called it the “South China Sea” – a lazy way. This is short-sighted, and this is a huge mistake because Vietnam and other countries in Southeast Asia are simply NOT China or any parts of China. They are different and independent nations. They have their own cultural, civilization, the shoreline, and trans-oceanic maritime way before Chinese came.

Note that the Western merchants and missionaries as well have arrived from Southeast Asia by first landed on the Vietnamese ports, then on the road to China mainland afterward.

Due to the wrong and unfortunate name was called the “South China Sea,” it causes the Chinese communist today (founded on 1949) to take advantage. They sent troops to invade the Paracels islands (1974); Gac Ma, Spratly Islands (1988) from the Vietnamese people.

From 1974 to 2016 China has aggressively militarized the Paracels and the Spratly islands by building the naval bases, the military garrisons, airstrips, lighthouses. They also control the customs duty along strategic waterway on the Southeast Asia Sea. They deployed air missile platforms of all sorts (sea-to-air, surface-to-air). Their nuclear submarine fleets are also seen present in the region.

July 12, 2016, the Permanent Court of International Arbitration in The Hague the Netherlands has ruled against China; and rejected China's false sovereignty claim on the entire Southeast Asian Sea; however, the Court has no authority to impose sanctions against any countries which are not complying with the ruling.

Six years ago, Nguyen Thai Hoc Foundation (http://nguyenthaihocfoundation.org) had launched a campaign to change the name South China Sea to Southeast Asia Sea and attracted more than 85,566 signed-up supporters (September 26, 2016) from 134 countries.

Today, once again we the Vietnamese call on the consciousness of the international, especially Southeast Asian opinions. We solemnly launch the online campaign to rename the “South China Sea” into the “ Vietnam Sea.”

The last campaign (carried out on 2010) and the present one (2016) are all in synch with each other to re-enforce the utter rejection of the wrong and unfortunate use of the “China South Sea” name on the Vietnamese coast.

There are four reasons for the new campaign:

1 / Philippines with the Philippine Sea and West Philippines Sea, Indonesian Natuna Sea, Amanda Sea for Thailand, Malaysia has the Java Sea.

2 / Vietnamese’ coastline is up to 11 409, 1 kilometer - three times the previous calculation according to the World Resources Institute (Word Resources Institute) and the United Nations Environment Organization. Vietnam Sea area has over 1 million kilometers under The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in 1982 - accounted for almost 30% of the Southeast Asia Sea.

3 / Freedom of navigation is the sacred right of humanity. There is no single country which can militarily control and or prohibit the exploration of natural resources of the sea; as China has been doing.

4 / The renaming from the South China Sea to Vietnam Sea is consistent with international law, regional and geographical reality. Also, this will contribute positively to the promotion of world peace.

The Vietnamese Sea Association, we do not oppose the name the South China Sea, but this name needs to be adjusted to suit the geographical reality. It means that the name of China South Sea is to be used and recorded in the adjacent of China coastline, not use and recorded for Vietnamese coastline. Note that the Southern coast of China is measured only about 2,800 km (1,750 miles).

The South China Sea is recorded only from the coast of China's Hainan Island to the boundary. Hainan Island has never been 200 nautical miles “territory waters” (i.e mer territorial).

China Nation as a G20 and the Security Council member, needs to respect international law and justice.

Please join the campaign to demand the Presidents, Prime Minister of 11 Southeast Asian nations, the UN, the CEOs and Presidents of 11 geographic organizations around the world, the CEOs Dictionary Editors to rename the South China Sea to the Vietnam Sea.

Russian and China launched joint naval drill in Vietnam Sea (Southeast Asia Sea) from 14-09 to 20-09-2016. This provocative act couldt earily start the war in the East Sea between China and its neighboring countries. The renaming of the South China Sea to Vietnam Sea is imminent for this moment and the Vietnamese people.

Please take just action by signing the petition. Your signature is crucial to make a maritime history of this 21st century and will forever be remembered in Vietnam Sea, Southeast Asia Sea modern history.

This campaign is your campaign. We respectfully call for your participation to change the name of “South China Sea” into “Vietnam Sea.” The campaign has no time limit.